Web cleaning apparatus



Oct. 18, 1960 F. J. BRUNO WEB CLEANING APPARATUS Filed July l2. 195'? lou O O a :s sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

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Oct. 18, 1960 F. J. BRUNO 2,955,301

WEB CLEANING APPARATUS Filed July l2, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 luumlnnnuAAA f7 INVENTOR.

Oct 18, 1960 F. J. BRUNO 2,956,301

WEB CLEANING APPARATUS Filed July 12. 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 nited StatesPatent 2,956,301 Patented oct. 1s, 1960 WEB CLEANING APPARATUS Fredericl'. Bruno, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Oxy-Dry Sprayer Corporation,Chicago, Ill., a corporation of New York Filed July 12, 1957, Ser. No.671,475

4 Claims. (Cl. 15-306) This invention relates to a cleaning system forpaper and other web materials and more particularly concerns a new andimproved means for removing dirt, fiber particles and foreign mattergenerally from paper, particularly newsprint, die-cut carton blanks,textile fabric and the like.

The invention to be hereinafter described constitutes an improvementupon the cleaning system disclosed and claimed in my prior applicationS.N. 630,977 filed December 27, i956. The apparatus embodying thepresent invention is particularly adapted for cleaning the surface ofnewsprint although it may be used for cleaning all 1sinds of sheetmaterial.

ln general, of the various kinds of paper which are used in printing,newsprint stock has the most dirt and the cleaning thereof presents themost serious problem. This is particularly true if the paper web travelsat high speeds present in modern press work. It has been found thatother web cleaners do an inadequate cleaning job unless the speed ofpaper travel is reduced or a relatively large number of cleaning unitsare used.

This invention aims to provide relatively simple and economical meansfor handling newsprint at conventional paper speeds. As a rule newsprintmay travel through a press at the rate from about 40 to 60 feet persecond. lt is therefore essential that the web cleaning means have higheiciency in order to operate satisfactorily.

An important feature of the present invention resides in the provisionof a combined compressed air and suction head wherein the constructionprovides an uninterrupted path for dirt laden air from the paper surfaceto the suction generating means.

The apparatus embodying the present invention may be disposed to clean aweb prior to the feeding of the web to any other desired means. Thus theweb may be transferred from one roll to another or may be moved twardprinting cylinders or the web may be travelling toward waxing means. lnthe latter case, the web is most likely to be of stock other thannewsprint. inasmuch as newsprint is considered to be one of 4the mostdillcult webs to clean, the invention will be disclosed in connectiontherewith. Ilt is understood that the less rigorous demands of websother than newsprint will be more than met by the apparatus embodyingthe present invention.

The invention in general contemplates web cleaning heads on oppositesides of the web. While the cleaning heads may be disposed directlyopposite each other, it is preferred to stagger the cleaning heads alongthe length of the web travel. Such a staggered arrangement isadvantageous in rendering the manual threading of paper easier when anew web is started. Each cleaning head in general has three chamberseach extending across the full width of the web, said chambers havingcommon walls separating them and provided with uninterrupted, laterallyoil-set, elongated slots disposed near the surface to be cleaned. Onechamber is disposed between the remaining two chambers. The middlechamber acts as one unit while the two outer chambers act as two otherportions of a cooperating unit.

The one unit consisting of the middle chamber may have compressed air orsuction applied thereto while the two remaining chambers as the otherunit may have suction or compressed air applied thereto. The openingsfor the chambers are in the form of uninterrupted slots extending thefull width of the web, said slots permitting `air to travel out from thechamber or in thereto.

The chambers are so shaped that substantially direct paths for air areprovided from the suction slot to the pipe connected to the chamber forapplying suction. I have found that the provision of such direct pathsgreatly reduce the possibility of dirt piling up inside of a chamberwith the result that operation at a high level of elliciency is possiblefor long periods of time.

VIn order that the invention may be fully understood, an embodiment willbe described in connection with accompanying `drawings forming part ofthis application. It is understood however that variations may be madewithout departing from the scope of the invention as delined by theappended claims.

Figure l shows a top plan View of one web cleaning head.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the cleaning head illustrated in Figurel.

Figure 3 is a transverse section of a pair of cleaning heads foroperating on two sides of a web.

Figure 4 is a perspective detail of one part of a cleaning head.

Figure 5 is a detail partly in section on an enlarged scale of a portionof the cleaning head illustrated in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of part of a modified cleaning headprovided with slidablel means for controlling the width of the activeportion of the head, certain parts being broken away for clarity.

Figure 7 is a plan view of a cleaning head having the constructionillustrated in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a detail on line 8 8 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a sectional detail on line 9 9 of Figure 7.

Figure 10 is a sectional detail on line 10-10 of Figure 7.

A cleaning head such as illustrated in the drawings consists of a pairof flat rigid plates 1h and 11 maintained in spaced parallel relation byrear spacing block 13 and side spacing blocks 14 and 15 respectively. Asis illustrated in Figures l and 2, plates 1G and 11 have a lengthextending transversely of web 17. The length of plates 16 and 11 issutliciently great to accommodate the widest web to be handled.

Plates 10 and 11 are of smooth rigid material and may be of metal suchas steel, aluminum or brass or of such rigid plastic material as fiberor Bakelite. It is preferred however to make plates 10 and 11 of metal.Spacers 13 to 15 inclusive may consist of rigid material, either metalor non-metal, the spacers being dimensioned to endow the structure withdesired mechanical strength. Plates 10 and 11 and spacers 13 to 15inclusive form the walls of chamber 29. The plates and spacers aremaintained in assembled relation by bolts 21 and nuts disposed near rearedge 22 of chamber 20.

Plates 10 and 11 also form the dividing walls between middle chamber 20and chambers 24 and 25 disposed laterally on opposite sides of chamber20. Chamber 25 has end plate 26 parallel to plate 10. Plate 26 has awidth which is somewhat less than the width of plates 10 and 11. Thewidth is that dimension as seen in Figure 3 for example which extendsfrom rear spacers 13 along plates 10 and 11. Plate 26 is maintained inspaced relation to plate 10 by rear spacer 28 and side spacers 29 and30.

Chamber 25 is provided with outer plate 31 which is similar in allrespects to plate 26. Plate 31 is maintained in spaced relation to plate11 by rear spacer 33 and side spacers 34 and 35. Rear spacers 28 and 33for chambers 24 and 25 have bolts 36^passing through the spacers and`through chamber 20. Suitable nutson'V the bolts maintain the assemblyintact.Y The spacers: along side edges'lSandi39A of. the complete. headyfor chambers 24 and 25'as wellas for chamber 20 aremaintained by. boltsV4t?I having suitable nuts.

lt'will be notedthat plates 10, 11, 26 and' 31. allzhave substantiallythe same length, this being the dimension across web 17; The spacingbetween plates 26 and lil, between-plates lil and 11 and between plates11 and 31 maybe of about the same order. lt is preferred to have thespacing between the plates defining chambersZlY and 25 substantiallyequal.

Chamber 20 and the laterally offset chambers 24 and 25 will generallyhave about the same length (transversely across web 17) and willgenerally have about the same height (in the direction of movement ofweb 17) but will have different depths. Thus chambers 24 and 25 may`have the same depth whereas chamber 20 will be somewhat deeper becauseof the portion projecting beyond rear spacers 2S and 33.

Meansl are provided for connecting air pipes to the three chambers.Chamber Zil has collar 42 rig-idly attached to an accessible portion ofplate lll. As illustrated in Figure l, collar 42 is disposedsubstantially/'midway between edges 38 and 39 ofthe entire constructionand adjacent rear edge 22. As is clearly shown in Figure 3, the materialof plate within collar 42 is removed. A hose or pipe 43 may be slippedover collar 42 and a suitable hose clamp may be provided for retainingthe hose in position if necessary. lf desired an air connection may beprovided in opposed plate 11 soy that pipes may communicate ith chamberZtl from opposite sides.

Similar air connections are provided for chambers 24 and 25.V Forchamber 24, collar or flange 45 is provided at a suitable portion ofplate 26. This ange may be Ydisposed generally midway between edges 38and 3 and about midway between the rear of chamber 24, vthis being wherespacer 2S isr and the wall of the flange to be described. Suitable hose46 may be disposed over flange d5. Chamber 25 may be similarly providedwith hose flange i7 for accommodating hose 4S.

As has been indicated previously, chambers 24 and`25 may be connected toa suitable air pump for pulling a vacuum. In such case chamber will beconnected'to a source of compressed air. tablished through hoses 46 and47 for chambers 24 and and through hose 43 for chamber 20. lt is alsopossible to reverse these connections so that the vacuum is applied tochamber 20 while compressed air issupplied to chambers 24 and 25.

Chambers 2e, 29. andv25 have means at the front portions of thechambers, this being opposite to the rear spacer blocks, for defininglong narrow slots extending transversely across the direction of webtravel and adjacent a web in thenormal operation of the cleaning head.Preferably, though not necessarily, each chamber has at the frontthereof one longslot. While various means may be provided for dening theslots, a simple means consists of rods Sil, 51, 52 and 53.

The rods are disposed in spaced, laterally oifset,` parallel relation toprovide slots 55, 56 and 57 for chambers 24, 26 and 25 respectively.Rods 56 to 53 inclusive are preferably of smooth, polished metal and mayhavetheir surfaces chromium plated to reduce the possibility of dirtsticking tothe rod surfaces. The rods may have lany desired shape andmay conveniently be long and round. Rods 50 and 53 are here illustratedas having smooth outer cylindrical surfaces. Rods 51 and 52 may Valso besmooth Vbutrare preferably provided with grooves or `threading on theoutside to break up Vthe surface. The `grooves may be formed by annularchannels or may be The connections will bc es- ,4 helical and form partof a continuous thread, the length of the rod. It is also possible tohave the outer surfaces of rods 50 `and 53 similarly provided withannular grooves.

Rods 51 and 52 may be carried by pins 51a and 52a set in suitableapertures in the side spacer blocks. These pins are centered on the rodsand the spacing between the opposed rod surfaces will. provide slot 56of suitable width.

Rods 50 and 53 are also carried by pins 50a and 53a respectively.Thesepins may be disposed eccentrically of the rods and ares'o designedas to permit rods 50 and 53 to be turned to adjust the Width of slots 55and 57.

Suitable means may be provided for mounting the four rods tocontrolthisilateral spacing ,between all of the rods and thus controlthe widths of the respective slots. 1t is understood that in all cases,slots 55., 56 and 5'7 will give access to chambers 24, 21) and 25respectively. The round coniiguration of the rods is preferred fordirecting the air paths and dirt.

Each cleaning head. has associated therewith a means for ionizing theair on the leading or advance side of the head. Referring for example toFigures 3 and 4, web 17 is pictured as travelling downwardly past thehead. Ionizing means generally indicated by 6i? is disposed above the`cleaning part of the headto be near a web surface just prior to thetime that the portion ofthe Web reaches the cleaning part of the head.

Ionizing means 60 consists of elongated gas discharge tube 61 of glassor special material which is transparent to ultra-violet light. 'I'hetube material is insulating and extends for the width of the web.

Tube 61 has a iilling of a rare gas such as argon or neon at a lowpressure and also has some mercury therein. A gas tube of this charactermay have a discharge Vinitiated therein by an electrode sealed withinthe glass and passing through the glass Wall. The electrode is connectedto a source of high potential such as transformer 63. Transformer 63 maybe of the type used for neon signs.

It is well known that a gas tube of this character will rst start with adischarge through the rare gas, unless the tube isV warm, after whichthe mercury vapor within the tube will sufice to carry the electricdischarge. The discharge through mercury vapor will provide a spectrumcharacteristic of mercury wherein red is absent. Such a mercurydischarge is quite rich in ultra-violet.

The discharge circuit through the tube is completed by having groundedchannel 65 supporting the tube. Transformer 63 has one terminalgrounded. Channel 65 extends the length of the tube and has brackets 66at the ends thereof for supporting the tube in proper relation to thechannel. Channel 65 is supported on angle iron 68 on top plate 26 of thecleaning head. Channel 65 is preferably of aluminum having a brightreilecting surface. The ultra-violet light from tube 61 is concentratedon the surface of web 17.

Gas discharge tube 61 is supported in such a way that the outer surfacethereof is almost tangent to the adjacent Web surface. The entireassembly of cleaning head and ionizingmeans may be supported in anysuitable fashion by brackets 76 and 71 and suitable bolts. This entireassembly is supported in proximity to web 17 by bolting to suitablebars.

As indicated in Figures 3 and 4, a complete cleaning head and ionizingassembly is provided on each'side of web17. It is preferred to staggerthese assemblies along the path of travel of the web so that oneassembly is lnot opposite the other. 'Ihis makes itrpossible to thread'a new web and also prevents vibration or utter of the web due lto onecleaning head effecting the position of the web with respect to theother cleaning head. In practice, a cleaning head and ionizing meanswillhave a width great enough to accommodate the widest web to behandled. Any web narrower than maximum width may be readily handled bymasking the cleaning head with tape or a metal clamp.

For cleaning newsprint or web having a high dirt content, it ispreferred to have compressed air at the central chamber and vacuum atthe two side chambers. Where the load is not as great as for example,with other kind of paper or for fabric slitting, the air connections maybe reversed. Irrespective of the manner of connections, the interiorsurfaces of the various chambers making up a cleaning head will providefor a free ow of air and dirt under suction.

It will be noted that the chambers enlarge the air space just back ofthe slots through which air and dirt pass. Thus for example referring tochambers 24, and 25, the height of the chamber, that is the dimensionalong the direction of travel of web 17, is quite great in comparison tothe dimension of the slot through which air and dirt due to suction passfrom the web. This arrangement prevents an accumulation of dirt at themouth of the chamber.

Once the dirt is inside the chamber, the relatively smooth surfaces ofthe chamber promote the iiow of dirt and permit the dirt to be sucked upby the appropriate hose or pipe.

As has been previously pointed out, the cleaning heads are made toaccommodate the maximum width of web. In order to accommodate narrowerwebs, it is necessary as a rule to block the unused part of the headoft` insofar as the suction slots are concerned. An adequate supply ofcompressed air and the maintenance of pressure as a rule presents noproblem. Hence unused compressed air discharge portions of the headbeyond the edges of a web are of no particular concern. Howevermaintaining adequate suction pressure requires equipment havingSuiicient capacity. Any unused suction portion of the head beyond theweb edges would represent a serious leak into the system and wouldgreatly reduce the operating eiciency of the suction generating system.Accordingly it is desirable to block otf those parts of the cleaninghead having suction, which parts are not used because of the narrownessof a web. Figures 6 to l0 inclusive illustrate a Simple construction foraccomplishing the above.

Referring rst to Figure 6, there is illustrated in perspective a threechamber cleaning head generally similar to the heads illustrated inFigures 1 to 5 inclusive. In this modification, the effective suctioncutois are applied only to the central chamber which means therefforethat this central chamber will have to be used for suction purposes.Thus referring to Figure 6, the cleaning head comprises suction chamber71 having compressed air chambers 72 and 73 disposed laterally ofchamber 71 in a manner previously described.

Middle chamber 71 has top wall 75 provided with slot 76 extendingparallel to the rear edge of the wall plate. Disposed within middlechamber 71 adjacent an end thereof is movable end partition 78 extendingforwardly from the rear of the chamber toward the front provided with adischarge slot 79. Partition 78 consists of a block of metal or othersuitable rigid material dimensioned to form a movable side wall betweenthe top and bottom walls forming chamber 71.

Partition member 78 is rigidly attached to or integral with elongatedsupport member 81 which is dimensioned to tit snugly between the top andbottom walls of chamber 71 and bear against end spacer block 82 ofchamber 71. Partition member 78 and support member 81 thus form a rightangle.

Elongated support member 811 carries pin 84 extending upwardly therefromand through slot 76 of top wall member 75. Pin 84 may have the outerportion thereof threaded and will accommodate wing nut 85 or a knob orany suitable means which may be handled. Wing nut 85 may be loosened topermit the right angle construction consisting of partition 78 andsupport member 6 81 to move along the length of chamber 7-1. At anydesired position, wing nut 85 may be turned down to tighten the sameagainst top wall 75 to lock the partition and support member inposition.

Partition member 73 extends forwardly of the chamber and has frontportion 86 provided with suitable slots or clearance openings 87 and 88for clearing rods 89 and 90 defining front suction slot 79.

Support member Si is snug against slot 76 of top wall 75. Slot 76 willbe covered by wider members 81 so that the portion of chamber 71 whichis subject to suction will be substantially sealed. As illustrated inFigure 7, chamber 71 is provided at the two ends thereof with movablepartition members so that the effective width of a web to be handled maybe controlled. It is clear that there is no necessity for anysymmetrical disposition of the two partition members.

Chambers 71, 72 and 73 are provided with suitable connections forsuction and compressed air respectively in a manner previously describedin connection with Figures l to 5 inclusive. It is understood that thecleaning head described in Figures 6 to l0 inclusive may be j used inconjunction with an ionizing lamp such as illustrated in Figures 1 to 5inclusive.

ln the modification illustrated in Figures 6 to l0 inelusive, the pinand wing nut for manual adjustment of the partition members extendsthrough a top wall of the chamber. It is clear that pin S4 may extendthrough a bottom wall or may extend through spacing block 82. The latterprovisions will be necessary in case the central chamber is not greaterthan the top and bottom chambers insofar as depth is concerned.

While the adjustable partitions will provide only for the suctionchamber as illustrated in Figure 6, it is also possible to provide thecompressed air chamber with the same means. In such case it will bepossible to reverse the suction and compressed air connections in amanner previously described in connection with Figures l to 5 inclusive.

Having thus described the invention, it is understood that variousmodifications and changes will be made without departing from the scopeof the invention except as deiined by the appended claims.

Having described the invention and illustrated the preferred embodiment,what is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for cleaning dirt from a travelling web, said apparatuscomprising four smooth iiat rigid plates long enough to extendtransversely across the widest web to be handled, means includingrectangular spacer blocks for maintaining said plates in spaced parallelrelation to deiine three laterally oiiset chambers, each chamber havingmeans defining a slot opposite the web when the apparatus is in normaluse, each chamber being otherwise isolated from the other chambers andbeing deined by substantially iiat smooth surfaces except at the region-near the slots, means for establishing an air connection from eachchamber to external air moving means, the outer two chambers beingadapted to have one connection to air moving means and the inner chamberbeing adapted to have another connection to air moving means so thatsaid connections are to compressed air and suction respectively, saidslot deiining means comprising round rods extending along the edges ofthe plates defining the chambers, said slots being defined betweenadjacent rod surfaces extending the full width of the web, each chamberhaving one slot and the slot being much narrower than the chamberdimension between adjacent plates, said slot keeping itselfsubstantially free of dirt.

2. The construction according to claim l wherein means are provided foreccentrically mounting at least two of said rods so that the slotsdefined by said rods may be varied by turning said eccentric rods andcontrolling the space between rods.

3. Apparatus for cleaning dirt from the surface of a traveling Web, saidapparatus comprising a plurality of smooth llatrigid plates disposed inspaced, parallel but laterally offset relation, rectangular spacingmembers disposed between said plates adjacent the edgesY of said platesso that plates and members dene chambers, each `chamber having one sideopen, means for rigidly supporting said plates andv spacing members inpredetermined relation so that said open sides face av/eb, airconnections for each chamber so that suction or compressed airconditions may be created in each chamber, slot dening meansvfor closingthe open chamber side, said slot defining means providing acontinuouselongated slot for each chamber extending the full width ot'V a web,said chambers having smoothV flat walls except for the regions in backof the slot openings whereby dirt entering a slot becauseof suction willnot accumulate within a chamber, meansv for effectively limiting thesuction chamber so that the suction slot extends for the Width of a web,said limiting means including a-movable'member adjacent end of thechamberand extending from'the rear of the suction chamber to the slotofthe suctioncharnber and manual means extending through one of theWalls of said suction chamber'rfor moving saidmovable member laterallyto provide an adjustable end Wall for each end of said suction chamber,said movable member having attached thereto at the rear of the suctionchamber a `supporting member which is adapted to slide against theadjacent chamber Walls, one of the chamber Walls having a pinslottherethrough, said movable member and supporting member having a pinextending through said pin slot, said pin having locking means on theontL side of said chamber for locking said movable member in a fixedposition, said supporting member functioning to seal the pin slot. f

4. Apparatusvforcleaning dirt from a travelling Web, said apparatuscomprising four smooth flat rigid'plates long enough to extendtransversely across the Widest web to be handled, means includingrectangular spacer blocks for maintaining said plates in spaced parallelre` lation t d'ene three laterally olset chambers, each chamber havingmeans defining a slot opposite the web when the apparatus is innormaluse, each? chamber being otherwise isolated fromtheiothercha'mbers' andi be ing definedY by' substantiallyatfsmoothlsurfaces except at the regionnear the slots, meansfor'est'ablishing an air connection-from each cha'rnb'erto external?air'moving means, the outer two' chambers' beingadaptedV to'have oneconnection to air movingmeans and th'e`in'nerA chamberpbeing adapted tohave another connection to air moving means so that said connections areto compressed air and suction respectively, said slot defining meanscomprising four round rods extending along the edges of the platesdefining the chambers, said rods'dening slots betweenradjacent rodsurfaces, there being four rods in laterally alignedrelation, means:including eccentric'pinsfor securing the endrods, said rods beingrotatable on said pins to adjustl the slot opening'. for the outertwo-chambers, the remainingvtwo'innerv rods having their outersurfaces-provided With?4 grooves'. around said rods.

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